Tracking Work-Related Asthma

Background and Purpose

Asthma has increased in the U.S. and in California in the last decade.It is estimated that workplace exposures are responsible for 15-30% of all new asthma cases among adults in the U.S. Work-related asthma includes new cases caused by exposures at work, as well as asthma that is made worse by conditions at work. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) provides funding to California, Michigan, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York to track work-related asthma. NIOSH and the five funded states work together to combine data and maximize prevention efforts.

The California Work-Related Asthma Prevention Program (WRAPP) aims to identify industries, occupations and exposures that put workers at risk for work-related asthma. By identifying and understanding the risk factors, we can find new ways to help employers and workers prevent work-related asthma.